Racing board game apparatus

ABSTRACT

A racing board game consists of a track divided into a series of spaces over which a predetermined number of holders are movable to a finish mark. A larger number of cards designate horses that can be selected to be raced, each card identifying the horse, its stable, and the odds on the horse. Each holder can carry one card. One or more spaces bear stable markings that match stable markings on the cards, indicating an advantage or disadvantage if a card with the stable markings of the space is carried on to the space. The holders bear different indicia indicative of more or less advantageous starting positions assigned thereto.

United States Patent 1191 [1 3,883,143

Kelley et al. 1 May 13, 1975 [54] RACNG BOARD GAME APPARATUS FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1 Inventors: Patricia Alexandra Kelley, 44 1470.050 1/1967 France 273 134 CB Stubbs Dr. Apt. 514. Willowdale, Ontario; Alan Brian Kelley, 296 The Kingsway, Apt. 2, lslington, Ontario, both of Canada [22] Filed: Feb. 13, 1974 [2]] Appl. No.: 442,058

Primary E.\'aminerDelbert B. Lowe [57] ABSTRACT A racing board game consists of a track divided into a series of spaces over which a predetermined number of holders are movable to a finish mark. A larger num- [52] US. Cl.... 273/134 CH; 273/134 D; 273/134 C ber of cards designate horses that can be selected to [51] Int. Cl. A63f 3/00 be raced, each card identifying the horse, its stable, [58] Field of Search 273/134 and the odds on the horse. Each holder can carry one card. One or more spaces bear stable markings that [56] References Cited match stable markings on the cards, indicating an ad- UNITED STATES PATENTS vantage or disadvantage if a card with the stable mark- 1449 393 3/1923 French 473/134 CH ings of the space is carried on to the space. The holdl493'738 5/1924 cowan 273/134 CH ers bear different indicia indicative of more or less ad- 210441122 6 1936 Michenerm. 273 134 AG vantageous Starting POSitiOns assigned thereto- 3,582,080 6 1971 Schick 273/134 AD 3,756,604 9/1973 Laszlo ..273/134 AD 15 Cla'mSJDfaWmg Flgures 3 r3 3 a e) POST POSITIONS RACE STABLE mum'rlou "14 17k AND cARns Owns CARDS PPJENIEDIIAY 1 3-1915 2,8831 43 saw 2 m 2 RACE CONDITIONS DISTANCE s FURLONGS PURSE $2500. 15

VALUE TO OWNER= FIRST $I625P sscouo $562. THIRD $282. FOURTH $I25.

RACE CONDITIONS Q9 \\/8 MILE 32 500 DISTANCE PURSE VALUE T OWNER".

FIRST $9755 THIRD $I699 RACE CONDITIONS DISTANCE 6 V2 FURLONGS PURSE $3000.

VALUE TO OWNERI FIRST $\950. SECOND $675. THIRD $a99. FOURTH $n29 FIG. 3

secoun FOURTH NAME RACE HORSE ODDS- WIN PLACE SHOW WINNINGS FIG. 4

RACING BOARD GAME APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a board game, and more particularly to a game simulating horse racing.

2. Description of the Prior Art Various board games which simulate racing have been proposed, but it is an object of the present invention to provide a game in which a number of different pieces can be raced in different races, providing clear identification of the pieces that are being moved and providing variable game conditions analogous to conditions that may arise in an actual race.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention there are provided several possible cards indicating different racing contenders, preferably horses, and a smaller number of holders each of which can carry one card to form a playing piece movable over a series of spaces on a game board. Insignia on some of the spaces match insignia on the cards, so that cards carried to such spaces may gain advantages or suffer disadvantages. The holders carry different indicia also establishing conditions under which the playing pieces participate, for example, different numbers indicative of different starting positions which may be more or less advantageous. Other features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a board laid out to simulate a race track for horses;

FIG. 2 shows three typical cards indicating different horses, their stables and their odds, and each carried by a differently numbered holder to constitute a playing piece;

FIG. 3 shows three typical cards for determining race conditions;

FIG. 4 shows a betting chit; and

FIG. 5 shows a pair of dice that may be used in playing the game.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The board of FIG. 1 consists of a generally oval track divided transversely into a series of spaces 10. Six holders 11, three of which are illustrated in FIG. 2, serve as the bases of six playing pieces that can be moved over the track, the bases carrying cards 12 which constitute the upper portions of the six playing pieces. There are more cards 12 than holders 11 (for example, there may be 48 cards 12), but only six cards may be used for any one race, each holder carrying but one card. Each card bears the name 12a of a horse, the odds 12b on the horse, and ,an insignium 12c representing the colours of the stable from which the horse comes. Every card 12 bears a different name 12a, and odds 121) may vary as desired, but all the horses may come from only, say, twelve stables, so that if there are 48 cards 12 each in signium 12c will appear on four different cards 12.

At the beginning of a game, the six holders 1], empty of cards, are arranged in six holder positions 13 on the board. The different holder positions represent different starting (or post) positions, the significance of which will be described below. The holderpositions are numbered from one to six, and the holders bear corresponding numerals one to six, the holder numbered one being placed in position number one, holder number two in position number two, and so on. The different indicia from one to six on the holders 11 thus indicate different starting positions.

To play the game, each of up to six players may be given some simulated currency (not shown) with which to bet, and bystanders may also be given betting money. From a stack of cards of the kind illustrated in FIG. 3, called race condition cards, arranged face down at position 14 on the board, one card is turned up, and this card determines the conditions for the first race. If, for example, card 15 is turned up, the race will be six furlongs long, and the race will begin at space 16 on the board.

Next, each player is dealt a card 12 from a stack of such cards at position 17 on the board. The players must now determine which holder 11, and thus which starting position, will be assigned to them. This may be done by throwing one of the dice shown in FIG. 5, the first player to throw a one being assigned the holder numbered one, and so on. Each player inserts his card 12 in the holder that he has been assigned, so that the holders and cards, constituting the playing pieces, are now on display at the positions 13. Bets may now be placed, if desired using betting chits illustrated in FIG. 4. Both players and bystanders may bet, each indicating on a betting chit the number of the race, the name 12a of the horse on which the bet is being placed, the odds 121 on that horse, with an indication as to whether the bet is that the horse will win, place or show, and an indication of the amount of the bet.

The next step is for a first player to roll one of the dice. For convenience the dice may be coloured in contrasting colours: one die 18 may be coloured red and the other die 19 coloured green. First the red die 18 is thrown. It has six numbers on it corresponding to the six numbers on the holders 11. Suppose that the number three comes up. This indicates that the playing piece in starting (post) position three (having the holder numbered three) will be the first to move, though this piece may not be the one belonging to the player throwing the die. The same player then throws the other (green) die 19. Suppose that the number five comes up. The dice now indicate that the piece having the holder numbered three is to move five spaces from the starting space 16. In addition, however, on its first move a playing piece is subject to a bias by being advanced a number of spaces dependent upon its starting position (indicated by the numeral on the holder 11). For example, the piece in starting position one (the most favoured position in a real horse race) will advance, on its first move, an additional six spaces; the horse in starting position two will advance an additional five spaces; the piece in starting position three will advance an additional four spaces, etc., so that different starting positions and holder numbers represent different starting biases. Thus, in the case being discussed, where the first player has thrown a three (die 18) and a five (die 19) the piece having holder number three advances five plus four, or nine spaces on its first move.

A second player then throws die 18. If he throws, for example, a two, the playing piece numbered two will be able to make its first move, the length of the move being determined by what the same player throws on die 19, adding five more spaces attributable to the number two starting position. If, instead of throwing a two with die 18, the second player happens to throw a three with die 18, the piece having holder three will move again (this same number having been thrown with die 18 by the first player), the number of spaces being determined solely by what is thrown on die 19 since the starting position applies a bias to only the first move from the starting space 16. The play continues in the foregoing fashion.

One or more spaces 20 on the board carry an insignium 200 corresponding to one of the insignia 120 on the cards 12, each insignium used on the cards having a matching insignium on at least one space on the board. If a playing piece having a card with a particular insignium 12c lands on a space having the same insignium, the piece may gain an advantage (eg. advance to the next space bearing the same insignium) or suffer a disadvantage dependent on rules formulated in advance. Playing pieces landing on other spaces, such as spaces 21 or 22, may also receive penalties or bonuses according to arbitrary messages displayed on the spaces.

The board has a finish mark 23. The first playing piece to cross the finish mark is placed in a win position 24 on the board, and similarly the second and third pieces to finish are placed in place and show positions 25, 26 respectively. If, approaching the finish mark 23, two or more playing pieces are located at the same time in the area covered by the last three spaces 27 ahead of the finish mark, no such piece may proceed across the finish mark unless it receives the exact dice roll needed to finish in one move.

With three pieces located in the positions 24, 25, 26 in the winners circle, reference is again made to the race condition card 15 that was turned up at the beginning of the race. This card shows that the winner of the race (the player whose piece consisting of holder 11 and card 12 is in position 24) is to be paid $1625, the player whose piece is in position is to be paid $562, and so on, irrespective of what bets have been made. Reference may then be made to the betting chits (FIG. 4) to determine what payments are to be made to bettors in accordance with the bets and odds recorded thereon.

After the completion of a race, the holders 11 are emptied and returned to their correspondingly numbered positions 13 in the paddock area, the cards 12 are all returned to the stack at position 17 on the board, the race condition card 15 is turned down on the stack at position 14, and the cards in each stack are shuffled. A race condition card is then turned up and if, for example, card 28 is turned up, the next race will be a six and one half furlong race, beginning at space 29 on the board but ending at the same finish mark 23, which serves as the finish mark for races beginning at any of the starting spaces 16, 29, 30 or 31. The race condition cards of FIG. 3 thus constitute means for preselecting the lengths of races, and thus the number of spaces to be traversed by the holders, as well as the payments to be made to the players who have winning playing pieces. Additionally, the race condition cards may permit variations in betting. For example, if card 28 is turned up, bearing the legend EX (for exacta), a single bet may be made on the piece that is expected to win and on the piece that is expected to come second, or

by wheeling a bettor may bet on each piece to win in the same race. As another example, if race condition card 32 is turned up, bearing the legend DD (for daily double) a bettor may contract to choose the winners of two races, or by wheeling may combine a bet on one piece in one race with bets on all pieces in a second race. To simplify the determination of winnings, a chart (not shown) may be supplied showing what payments are to be made for bets of different dollar amounts at different odds.

An important feature of the game is that the holders 11, through the numeral indicia thereon, indicate starting biases, and carry cards 12 which are clearly displayed as parts of the playing pieces, both when the pieces are assembled and displayed in the starting positions 13 (when bets are placed), and thereafter until the winners are arranged in the final positions 24, 25, 26. Thus, each playing piece clearly shows a horses name 12a, the odds payable 12b on winning, and an insignium 12c matching at least one insignium on spaces over which the pieces travel. Since the cards 12 travel with the holders 11 quick visual recognition of different playing pieces is facilitated. Preferably the cards are printed on both sides, with the same information on each side and identifiable from at least 3 feet away. Because different cards may be selected for different races the playing pieces and their characteristics 12a, 12b, will differ from race to race. The different race condition cards in the stack at 14 also provide different conditions for different races.

Reference has been made to the fact that spaces on the board may carry insignia, such as the insignium 200, corresponding to insignia, such as 120, on the cards. One or more of the spaces 27 (labelled photo finish" in the drawing) may carry such insignia 200. If a playing piece bearing an insignium 12c lands on a space 27 bearing a matching insignium 200, but the piece still has one or more laps of the board to go before finishing, the playing piece may gain the same advantage as it would if the space 27 where not one of the photo finish spaces. If, however, the playing piece is completing the race and lands on a space 27 bearing an insignium 20c matching the pieces insignium 120, the piece may if desired gain no advantage, or alternatively it may advance at once to the winners circle.

Variations from the preferred embodiment illustrated will of course occur to those skilled in the art, and are intended to be covered by the following claims.

What we claim as our invention is:

l. A racing board game comprising a board having a series of spaces, a plurality of cards, a smaller plurality of holders movable over said spaces and each adapted to carry any one of said cards to move therewith, an insignium on each card, an insignium on at least one space matching the insignium on each card to indicate an advantage or disadvantage if the card is carried onto the space, and differing indicia on the movable holders indicative of different starting biases of the holders.

2. A game as claimed in claim 1, including means for preselecting the number of spaces to be traversed by the holders.

3. A game as claimed in claim 1, wherein the board has holder positions, representing different starting advantages, where the holders and cards carried thereby can be displayed for the placing of bets before the holders are moved over said spaces.

4. A game as claimed in claim 1, including a pair of dice, one having indicia corresponding to the indicia on the holders and the other having indicia indicative of the number of spaces that a holder is to move.

5. A game as claimed in claim 1, wherein the board has a finish mark and each card bears an indication of odds payable according to the order in which a holder carrying the card reaches the finish mark.

6. A racing board game comprising a board having a series of spaces forming a track, a plurality of individually selectable first playing piece portions, a smaller plurality of individually selectable second playing piece portions, any of the first playing piece portions being releasably con nectable to any of the second playing piece portions to form combination playing pieces movable over at least a predetermined portion of the track, each of the first playing piece portions displaying different insignia preselecting at least one condition under which a playing piece incorporating that first playing piece portion participates in the game, and each of the second playing pieces displaying differing insignia preselecting at least one further condition under which a playing piece incorporating that second playing piece portion participates in the game.

7. The racing board game of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of individually selectable instruction cards each bearing insignia preselecting at least one condition applicable to all the playing pieces employed in a particular game.

8. The racing board game of claim 7 wherein a condition preselected by the instruction card is the portion of the track over which the playing pieces are movable.

9. The racing board game of claim 8, wherein each first playing piece portion predetermines conditions related to the identity of a simulated contender in a simulated race, each second playing piece portion predetermines conditions related to the identity of a simulated starting position in the simulated race, and each instruction card predetermines conditions under which the simulated race is run.

10. The racing board game of claim 9, wherein the insignia on each first playing piece portion identifys a horse, and the odds payable on that horse should it win the simulated race.

11. The racing board game of claim 10, wherein the insignia on each first playing piece portion also identifys the stable of the horse, and an insignium corresponding to each such stable insignium also appears on at least one space on the track in association with instructions applicable to playing pieces incorporating portions carrying that insignium when on said space.

12. A racing board game, comprising a board marked out in a series of spaces simulating a race track, first chance means establishing the number of spaces over which a race is to be run, second chance means comprising a plurality of cards drawable to establish the indentity of contenders in the race together with at least one characteristic of each contender significant in the playing of the game, third chance means comprising a plurality of card supports chance selectable for establishing the starting positions of the centenders in the race, the cards being mountable on the supports to form playing pieces movable over the spaces on the board, and further chance means determining the movement of the playing pieces over said spaces.

13. A racing board game according to claim 12, wherein the first chance means is a stack of cards, each carrying indicia establishing a particular set of race conditions, one of which is the distance over which a race is to be run, as simulated by series of spaces on the board having different lengths.

14. A racing board game according to claim 13, wherein the conditions established by the cards include the magnitude of simulated prizes awarded to differently placed finishers in the race.

15. A racing board game according to claim 13, wherein the conditions established by the cards include conditions under which bets may be placed on the outcome of the race.

l =l i 

1. A racing board game comprising a board having a series of spaces, a plurality of cards, a smaller plurality of holders movable over said spaces and each adapted to carry any one of said cards to move therewith, an insignium on each card, an insignium on at least one space matching the insignium on each card to indicate an advantage or disadvantage if the card is carried onto the space, and differing indicia on the movable holders indicative of different starting biases of the holders.
 2. A game as claimed in claim 1, including means for preselecting the number of spaces to be traversed by the holders.
 3. A game as claimed in claim 1, wherein the board has holder positions, representing different starting advantages, where the holders and cards carried thereby can be displayed for the placing of bets before the holders are moved over said spaces.
 4. A game as claimed in claim 1, including a pair of dice, one having indicia corresponding to the indicia on the holders and the other having indicia indicative of the number of spaces that a holder is to move.
 5. A game as claimed in claim 1, wherein the board has a finish mark and each card bears an indication of odds payable according to the order in which a holder carrying the card reaches the finish mark.
 6. A racing board game comprising a board having a series of spaces forming a track, a plurality of individually selectable first playing piece portions, a smaller plurality of individually selectable second playing piece portions, any of the first playing piece portions being releasably connectable to any of the second playing piece portions to form combination playing pieces movable over at least a predetermined portion of the track, each of the first playing piece portions displaying different insignia preselecting at least one condition under which a playing piece incorporating that first playing piece portioN participates in the game, and each of the second playing pieces displaying differing insignia preselecting at least one further condition under which a playing piece incorporating that second playing piece portion participates in the game.
 7. The racing board game of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of individually selectable instruction cards each bearing insignia preselecting at least one condition applicable to all the playing pieces employed in a particular game.
 8. The racing board game of claim 7 wherein a condition preselected by the instruction card is the portion of the track over which the playing pieces are movable.
 9. The racing board game of claim 8, wherein each first playing piece portion predetermines conditions related to the identity of a simulated contender in a simulated race, each second playing piece portion predetermines conditions related to the identity of a simulated starting position in the simulated race, and each instruction card predetermines conditions under which the simulated race is run.
 10. The racing board game of claim 9, wherein the insignia on each first playing piece portion identifys a horse, and the odds payable on that horse should it win the simulated race.
 11. The racing board game of claim 10, wherein the insignia on each first playing piece portion also identifys the stable of the horse, and an insignium corresponding to each such stable insignium also appears on at least one space on the track in association with instructions applicable to playing pieces incorporating portions carrying that insignium when on said space.
 12. A racing board game, comprising a board marked out in a series of spaces simulating a race track, first chance means establishing the number of spaces over which a race is to be run, second chance means comprising a plurality of cards drawable to establish the indentity of contenders in the race together with at least one characteristic of each contender significant in the playing of the game, third chance means comprising a plurality of card supports chance selectable for establishing the starting positions of the centenders in the race, the cards being mountable on the supports to form playing pieces movable over the spaces on the board, and further chance means determining the movement of the playing pieces over said spaces.
 13. A racing board game according to claim 12, wherein the first chance means is a stack of cards, each carrying indicia establishing a particular set of race conditions, one of which is the distance over which a race is to be run, as simulated by series of spaces on the board having different lengths.
 14. A racing board game according to claim 13, wherein the conditions established by the cards include the magnitude of simulated prizes awarded to differently placed finishers in the race.
 15. A racing board game according to claim 13, wherein the conditions established by the cards include conditions under which bets may be placed on the outcome of the race. 